Samantha Buckalew
November 15, 2018.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK –
The House of Representatives began to caucus over ORU 511 just before 1 PM. This controversial piece of legislation, titled the “Mercy” act of 2018 regards whether a person has the right to have a legal assisted suicide in the State of Oklahoma.
The representatives did propose a hostile amendment the bill to allow for a “terminally ill minor diagnosed with less than 6 months to live can use this medicine with parental consent with social worker and five doctors agreement of the decision”. This amendment seemed to go over well with the House, yet hostile amendment number 2 was on the other side as it stated to move the age up to 21 from 18 of those who could opt for the medically assisted suicide. While hostile amendment number 2 was being presented, author Emilie Tindle (OSU) did concede that due to the passage of hostile amendment number 1 her amendment was in vain as the body already voted to include minors in the bill. As well, during her questions the author was questioned as to if her amendment was to pass, with the passage of the hostile amendment those who are suffering from a terminal illness who are between 18 and 21 would not be able to get treatment.
As Tindle (OSU) explained her hostile amendment it swayed the House in a drastic turn of events as Payton Dougherty (OSU) motioned to reconsider hostile amendment 1 so that hostile amendment number 2 was more understandable. During this reconsideration of amendment 1, it was not passed a second time and therefore struck from the bill. Following the reconsideration was the debate for hostile amendment 2. This debate showed how the body changed sides, yet not fully as the amendment to move the age up to 21 was not passed.
During debate both the opponency and proponency gave many excellent reasons as why to vote for or against the passage of ORU 511. In my own opinion, I believe that this bill presents an answer to a question that is very controversial. It seeks to answer whether someone is able to legally chose to die if they have a diagnosis of less than 6 months to live. I believe that this bill, although highly controversial, should be passed as it is not stating that those who have less than 6 months to live have to have this carried out on them. This is because the bill is being passed as an option for those who suffer from these terminal illnesses where no one is required to use this bill to allow them to have an assisted suicide, unless they chose to do so.
Overall, ORU 511 was passed at around 2:30 by the House. Following the passage, the House of Representatives erupted into the Oklahoma state song singing their hearts out, most of them happy about the passage of the first bill in the House during this session of OIL.